Opinion

Thanks to my in-laws’ kind willingness to babysit for a week, I was able to visit hubby in Berlin sans kids. I had never been apart from them for more than three days, so leaving was a bit of a struggle. They cried, I cried and we counted the number of bedtimes until I would be home again.

I read in the recent Oldham Era that the Oldham County Board of Education recently purchased two tracts of land (a total of 6.57 acres) in Buckner for $180,030. This is the same Board that claimed to be short on funds and increased taxes on Oldham County residents. Their claim then was that the money was needed for teacher pay increases and school operations.

“Christianity is not a religion it is a dangerous mind-control program that encourages genocide.” “Christianity was made to brainwash. This is how people got power and money while others believed that all this was because they ‘served God.’ ”

“Then my father went on to tell me that I am going to pay, and how he is going to make my life a living hell, and started threatening me with a reversed mortgage when he dies.”

Each year, millions of Americans resolve to get in better shape and become healthier versions of themselves. According to a recent YMCA survey of more than 1,000 adults, less than a quarter of respondents kept their resolution in 2014. An overwhelming 71 percent said they tried but fell short, and 40 percent confessed that they made it through only a couple of weeks or months.

While working in Germany this week, I decided to make the most of the weather by taking a little stroll. Temps are in the 40s, but compared to the frigid temperatures I left in Indiana, Berlin is a tropical paradise.

I have the privilege of officiating at many weddings. The challenge at the wedding ceremony is to always add a few personal words of inspiration, words the couple and those attending will remember. I often recommend the following strategies for opening up our hearts to one another. These strategies can be applied to any true relationship.

A man sent a check to the government for back taxes with a note attached that said, “I felt so guilty for cheating on my taxes I had to send you this check. If I don’t feel any better, I’ll send you the rest.”

It’s been a few years since The Oldham Era sponsored a readers’ choice awards contest and we weren’t sure how it would go over, but our readers did not disappoint.

We printed a ballot in several issues of the Era and the Market and provided an online survey for readers to cast their votes. More than 600 voters told us who they thought represented the best Oldham County had to offer in the categories of restaurants, shopping, services, public places and events, outstanding individuals and more.

“Creating Kentucky jobs and strengthening Kentucky families” -- this is how our caucus defined the overall goals of the Senate this session, and I’m proud to report that four of our priority bills to accomplish those objectives passed the Senate in our first week, and are now on the way to the House.

As the Senate has done in previous sessions under the direction of Senate President Robert Stivers, members of leadership were elected prior to the start of session so when the 2015 General Assembly convened, we were able to get straight to business.

Have you ever wondered why the world is so beautiful, so impressive, so big? Nobody knows how big the heavens are with millions, maybe billions, of stars. Why is it that every morning the glory of a sunrise comes over the earth and every evening the quiet beauty of a sunset? It could have been arranged so the day would come and go in some less impressive manner.

Let’s talk about the president. Not the current president — the next president.

We don’t know who the next president will be. All we know is that it won’t be Barack Obama. For about 45 percent of Americans, that’s a great thing. For another 45 percent, that’s a bad thing. For the other 10 percent, the good or bad may be based on who the next president will be.

The New Year is here and we can vow to eat healthier this year. Maybe you should try a new restaurant, here locally we have Mexican, Chinese or Italian, among others. I have to go to Louisville to get Irish, German or other unique ethnic foods.

As the Executive Director of Discover Downtown La Grange, I wanted to take a moment to thank the community leaders, first responders, Public Works, sponsors and volunteers for sharing their holiday time to come together for Light Up La Grange. They worked so hard putting it all together. For me personally, I feel very blessed to have worked with such a great crew of helpers. And wow — what an amazing turnout!

Arriving early one Sunday a preacher sat down at a local donut shop, opened his Bible and went over his sermon notes. A man at the counter asked, “You a preacher or something?” The preacher replied that he was and the man asked which church. The preacher told him which church and he responded excitedly that he went to that church.

The preacher said, “I’ve been preaching there for about three months and I’ve never seen you there.”

Our district’s teachers, administrators and staff deserve praise for their constant efforts to ensure the learning of every student in our district. But equally deserving recognition and an expression of gratitude are the locally-elected members of our Board of Education.

We all know the normal ones: weight loss, get a better job, try something new, etc. And for most of us, those resolutions are broken usually within six weeks.

Luckily, I’ve been able to keep my personal resolutions of the last two years (I’m showing off, I get it), and so as editor of your weekly paper, I wanted to make some public resolutions for the Era for 2015.

First let me say that this is something I have never done, but certainly have been tempted when reading letters to the editor. Somehow I have always restrained myself and moved on. But not this time. “Disappointed in Light Up” had to be addressed and a “colossal disappointment” really could not go without saying something.